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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23566027">baby mine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaatiekinss/pseuds/kaatiekinss'>kaatiekinss</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>baby mine universe [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Riverdale (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Season/Series 03, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Fred's A+ parenting, Hermione grows a backbone, Not Canon Compliant, Protective Archie Andrews, Romance, Supportive Archie Andrews, Teen Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Varchie!Centric, girls supporting girls, somewhat of a fix-it fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 19:14:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,511</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23566027</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaatiekinss/pseuds/kaatiekinss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Veronica imagined having children with Archie, these are not the circumstances she imagined they'd be under. But they've never been ones for doing things in order, and their love has always been stronger than whatever threatens to tear them apart.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper &amp; Polly Cooper, Betty Cooper &amp; Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Cheryl Blossom &amp; Betty Cooper &amp; Veronica Lodge, Minor Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz - Relationship, Polly Cooper &amp; Veronica Lodge, minor Polly Cooper/Sweet Pea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>baby mine universe [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1696198</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>84</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. unexpected (november 2018, first trimester)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <em>Baby Mine, don't you cry<br/>Baby Mine, dry your eyes<br/>Rest your head close to my heart<br/>Never to part, baby of mine</em>
</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Veronica finally realizes what's been going on with her body. Cue the feels.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <em>"I can imagine no heroism greater than motherhood." - Lance Conrad</em>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The whole thing starts innocently enough. Some tenderness in her breasts and a sudden distaste for the smell of coffee, the taste of almonds. Veronica chalks it up to fluctuating hormones and doesn’t think much of it. 

</p><p>Then comes the bloating and the exhaustion. She can barely keep her head up and her eyes open in class, and her teachers start to notice. When they ask her about it, Veronica tells them it’s because she hasn’t been sleeping well. They look at her with worry and pity, nodding along and telling her that they understand before eventually dropping the subject. 

</p><p>Betty is her rock; calling off Cheryl when she berates Veronica for being too tired to participate in Vixen practice and telling her redheaded cousin to give her a break after the past few months she’s had. 

</p><p>Kevin starts carrying her bag and textbooks for her between classes, because she’s too tired to do it herself. And even Moose helps her with her duffel and equipment after practice. 

</p><p>Reggie, Sweet Pea, and Fangs come downstairs to set up for the night to find their boss curled up on one of the velvet couches, sound asleep, still in her Pop’s uniform. And when she leaves at the end of the night, one of them tails her, just to make sure she gets home safe and sound. 

</p><p>Josie glances anxiously at Reggie when Veronica falls asleep behind the bar during her set one night. When he goes over to wake her up, she’s snoring. 

</p><p>Occasionally, her mother will look at her oddly and ask her if she's alright. But her father just assumes it's because of Archie and ignores it, going about his business just as he always has, although he takes every opportunity to throw digs her way. 

</p><p>She's emotional beyond belief. One minute she's laughing, the next she's sobbing. Veronica blames stress, hormones, and lack of sleep. Then one morning in late November, about a week after Thanksgiving to be exact, she jolts awake and has to sprint to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before she throws up. She thinks perhaps she has a virus. It is that time of year, after all, and she's been feeling nauseous for a while now.

</p><p>Despite the early hour, her mind starts turning and she rushes back into her room, yanks open her vanity drawer and grabs her birth control. She quickly realizes two things: first, it's not a virus, and second, she's late. Very late.

</p><p>Veronica had gone on birth control nearly a year ago, after Jughead's birthday party and following months of sexual tension. She went to see her OB/GYN like the responsible young woman that she was. And every day since that day she's taken the little pink pill religiously. But ever since Archie was sent away, she's been consumed with trying to get him out, both through legal and illegal avenues. In her distraction, she hadn't been taking the pill at the same time every day, and she'd even forgotten to take it at all a few times. Of course, with Archie gone, she stopped taking it altogether. What was the point?

</p><p>But they'd always been so careful, her and Archie. They always used a condom. Except…

</p><p>Veronica closes her eyes and does the math frantically in her head. When the realization dawns, her legs go weak, and she sinks down onto her vanity chair and tries not to hyperventilate.

</p><p>Their frantic liaison in the locker room comes to the forefront of her consciousness, and she closes her eyes tighter, remembering what it felt like to kiss him, hold him, feel him, after all the time apart. 

</p><p>Remembering how every nerve in her body felt like a live wire. Remembering the smell of his skin as she pressed her head into the crook of his neck and inhaled. 

</p><p>Remembering the warmth of his breath against her as it washed over her collarbone and neck.

</p><p>Remembering the flex of his firm back and shoulder muscles under her hands, more defined now than ever before. 

</p><p>Remembering her fingernails digging into the skin on either side of his spine as she clung to him, and he pinned her to the lockers with his hips. 

</p><p>Remembering the taste of him on her lips and the steady, deep flex of him  into the space between her thighs.

</p><p>They hadn't even taken their clothes off, let alone stopped long enough to think about a damn condom. Neither one of them had one, and they had only given her twenty minutes. Twenty precious minutes the two of them hadn't wanted to waste.

</p><p>The bruises on her thighs from his hands and fingers are no longer tender. They aren't even yellow anymore. They're gone, and it makes her soul ache. Those bruises were the only thing reminding her that he was really there and not just a figment of her imagination—a beautiful illusion created by a longing mind.

</p><p>Very slowly, Veronica opens her eyes. She takes a few deep breaths, and with steady hands, she picks up her phone and calls Betty. If there's anyone she can rely on, it's her best friend.

</p><p>"Hey, V, what's up?"

</p><p>"I need you to go to the grocery store and get a pregnancy test."

</p><p>"Veronica, are you—"

</p><p>"B, please?"

</p><p>Betty, bless her pastel pink soul, doesn't say anything else.

</p><p>"I'll be there in half an hour."

</p><p>---

</p><p>Veronica paces as she waits for Betty. When she notices her bedroom door partially open she hurriedly shuts  it. Her father isn’t home, but her mom is, and she isn’t ready to deal with that just yet. She has to be sure first.

</p><p>She hears the front door open, and her heart speeds up as Betty says hello to Hermione as she passes by the living room, and it feels like Veronica doesn’t breathe until her blonde best friend is slipping into her bedroom and closing the door, locking it behind her. 

</p><p>Betty’s on her in an instant; wrapping her up in a tight hug. Veronica buries her head into Betty’s neck, breathing in her perfume, vanilla, and her strawberry shampoo. Betty rubs her back, the cool metal of her rings gliding along Veronica’s spine. 

</p><p>After drinking as much water as she can bear, Veronica does each test, one right after the other. Betty bought four, ever the planner. The fifteen minutes that follow as they wait are the longest of her life. They drag. They inch. She’s never been more grateful for Betty, who holds her hand in an unspoken gesture of support as they sit on the edge of the tub. Her presence is the only thing keeping her sane. 

</p><p>When the timer on her phone goes off, her and Betty glance at each other. The blonde gives her a reassuring smile. Taking a deep breath, Veronica’s hands shake as she lifts the first test and forces herself to look at it. 

</p><p>The little blue letters scream up at her. She blinks a few times.

</p><p><em>Pregnant.</em>

</p><p>Her mind is reeling. Frenzied, she picks up the other three tests. They all read the same as the first.

</p><p><em>Pregnant.</em>

</p><p><em>Pregnant.</em>

</p><p><em>Pregnant.</em>

</p><p>Veronica’s stomach turns and she slides to the floor. She opens the cover of the toilet and retches until she throws up. The bile burns her throat and leaves a disgusting taste in her mouth. 
</p><p>She had forgotten Betty was there for a moment, until she feels a soft hand pulling her hair away from her face and holding it in a ponytail for her. Betty rubs a comforting hand on her back before she sits up and leans back against the wall between the toilet and the bathtub. The tile is cold against her skin; it’s soothing. She takes deep breaths and leans her head on Betty's shoulder as the blonde takes her hand and interlocks their fingers. 

</p><p>Veronica doesn't know how long the two of them sit there, but it's long enough for her mother to worry and use the key to get into her room. 

</p><p>“Mija, are you okay?” 

</p><p>Her mother opens the door to find the two girls still sitting on the floor, Veronica's head on Betty's shoulder, her eyes all red and puffy from crying, and four positive pregnancy tests on the bathroom counter. Hermione looks from Veronica to Betty to the tests and back again.

</p><p>"Betty, can I have a moment with my daughter, please?" Betty looks at Veronica, and when she nods, she squeezes her hand and leaves the bathroom, closing the door softly behind her.

</p><p>For a moment, mother and daughter stare at each other. Veronica can barely look Hermione in the face. Her skin feels hot with shame and embarrassment. She's trying not to cry, but when she feels her mother kneel down in front of her, she starts sobbing; loud, gasping sobs that contort her chest with each breath.

</p><p>"Oh, Veronica.." Hermione cradles her daughter's head in her lap, petting her hair and back like she used to when Veronica was a little girl. Which was probably the last time she had cried like this.

</p><p>Veronica sits up, and sniffles and Hermione wipes her tear-stained cheeks with her fingertips. She plucks some tissues from the box and hands them to her daughter. Veronica dabs under her eyes, but she's pretty sure her mascara is a lost cause.

</p><p>“It’s alright, mija. You’re gonna be okay.” 

</p><p>---

</p><p>Veronica lays on her bed while her mom brews her some tea. Her eyes ache, and her head is pounding as she stares at the ceiling and breathes in through her nose and out through her mouth. Betty is sitting beside her, their shoulders touching.

</p><p>Her mother comes back in and sits on the edge of her bed. Hermione hands her the cup of tea and Veronica takes it gratefully.

</p><p>"Have you considered—"

</p><p>"Mom," Veronica trails off, closing her eyes briefly and shaking her head, "no."

</p><p>As overwhelmed as she feels, as terrified as she is, the thought of ending it hasn't crossed her mind. The knowledge that she helped create something so pure and innocent amazes her in some profoundly deep and unspoken way.

</p><p>When Veronica imagined having children with Archie (because it had always been Archie she imagined that type of future with) these were not the circumstances she imagined they'd be under. She wanted to be out of high school for one thing. Graduated from college. Married. Living in the city.

</p><p>Yet here she is.

</p><p>Thinking about Archie brings back all the pain she felt from when he said goodbye. She understands now why he had to leave, but that doesn't make his absence any easier to deal with. She replays his goodbye in her head over and over and over again, imagining his lips, forming the words and how hard it must have been for him to say them. The pain, like the bruises on her thighs, remind her that he was real, that what they had is real.

</p><p>"I have to tell him," Veronica's tone allows no room for arguments, but Hermione does share a concerned look with Betty, "He deserves to know." 
</p><p>She's trying to reassure herself as much as she is her mother, but even she can admit it's not very convincing, “he has to know.” 

</p><p>Her voice wavers, and for a split second, she has this awful vision of Archie rejecting her. Probably in some misguided attempt at keeping her and their baby safe, no doubt.

</p><p>Her mother leaves the room, saying she's going to check on dinner. Betty sighs, reaching down to hold Veronica's hand.

</p><p>"You know I'm here for you. Whatever you decide to do, I support you, V."

</p><p>Veronica smiles and lays her head on Betty's shoulder and squeezes her hand. "I know, B."

</p><p>She pauses.

</p><p>"Do you think he'll ever come home?"

</p><p>Her voice is so small; it's her greatest fear. That Archie has moved on; found someone else to be happy with. Someone who won't put his life in jeopardy by being with her. Someone with significantly less baggage and a father that isn't a mob man.

</p><p>Betty sighs, "V, the night you walked into Pop's, do you remember? The first time we met?"

</p><p>Veronica nods.
</p><p>"I was about to tell him how I felt, but you walked in, and it was like his entire world slowed down," Betty shakes her head fondly, "he forgot who I was for a split second. It was like his existence shifted the minute he saw you."

</p><p>It was always there. That subtle shift in the air the minute the two of them locked eyes. Veronica had felt it, and she knew Archie had, too. But she didn't know that Betty had.

</p><p>"Look, V, I don't know when he'll be back. But I know that he loves you and I know you love him. You have to have hope."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And I'm back again, this time with copious amounts of fluff to soothe our aching hearts and souls. Hope you liked it! Let me know what you think in the comments: your feedback is important to me! </p><p>xoxo Katiekins</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. fred (november 2018, first trimester)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>If there were a Riverdale parent of the year award, Fred Andrews would be the reigning king.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <em>"Fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects the man."  - Frank Pittman</em>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Veronica doesn’t think she’s ever been this nervous. She stands on the sidewalk in front of Archie’s house and tries to keep her breathing steady. She’s never felt more nervous than she does as she walks up the front steps, the second stair creaking when her foot touches it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s odd, she thinks as she knocks on the front door, that even though it’s been a while since she’s been here, it still feels more like home then the Pembrooke ever has. There are no forbidden rooms or secret compartments. Fred doesn’t have an office where he goes to conduct nefarious business. Veronica is always welcome here. At least, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had confessed to Archie once before how lucky he was to have a father like Fred Andrews, and how her own paled in comparison. She would never admit it, but a part of her was jealous of what they had. A bond of mutual love, respect, and understanding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred opens the door, and Veronica is immediately distracted by how terrible he looks. He’s thinner than she’s ever seen him and is hair, which is all askew, seems thinner. His skin is pale and waxy, drawn tight over the noticeable bones of his face; Veronica wonders when he ate last. She can tell he hasn’t been sleeping either because of the shadows under his eyes and the way they’ve sunk so far into their sockets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica is shocked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Kiddo, come in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred moves to the side so that she can step over the threshold. For a split second, Veronica wants to turn tail and run. She can feel Archie here. That’s why she hasn’t been by since the last night her and Archie spent here together. He’s embedded so deeply in this house, </span>
  <em>
    <span>they’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> embedded so deeply into this house. It makes her miss him more. She didn’t think that was possible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry to bother you so early. I hope I didn’t wake you up.” it’s only about 9 o’clock in the morning, but she hadn’t felt like staying in the apartment after everything that happened earlier. It was her mother, shockingly, who suggested she go and see Fred. Hiram would be home soon, and it was better if she was out of the house when that happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, it’s okay,” he helps her out of her coat, “I’ve been up for...awhile.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to impose, but there’s something I need to tell you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re always welcome here, Veronica,” he says as they go into the kitchen, “don’t bother knocking next time, okay?” He sounds hopeful about next time, and Veronica feels like absolute shit, she really does, for not having come and visited him sooner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The house is a reflection of how Fred must feel. She noticed the newspapers piled up outside the front door when she came in, and Veronica can see the beer bottles and take-out containers littered everywhere. There are unpaid bills and a few overdue notices sitting on the kitchen table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry about the mess,” Fred says, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. Veronica smiles sadly at him. Archie used to do that all the time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Andrews, please don’t apologize.” Veronica waves his words away. She understands perfectly. After all, Fred lost Archie, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, how are you?” He asks, leading her into the kitchen with a hand on her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica’s smile is weak, “I’m okay, Mr. Andrews.” She sits on one of the stools at the island while Fed walks back to his coffee mug sitting on the counter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, call me Fred, Veronica, please.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fred, um, there’s something I need to tell you.” Veronica sets her purse down on the island at the same time Fred grabs the coffee and pours some into his mug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica knows what’s going to happen before it does. She can feel the bile rising in her throat, so she covers her mouth and rushes to the bathroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred stands in the kitchen, figuratively scratching his head. He looks from his mug to the bathroom two or three times. Shrugging his shoulders, he continues filling his mug. That was bizarre. The last time his coffee made someone sick was when Mary was pregnant for Arch--.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred is so distracted, he doesn’t even realize that he’s overfilled his mug until hot coffee spills over the rim and onto the counter. He swears and grabs some paper towels to mop up the mess. Bracing himself on the counter, he takes a few deep breaths. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can hear Veronica in the bathroom, and he can only imagine how scared she must be. Fred feels a strong urge to protect her, the daughter of the man he hates most, but the love of his son’s life. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>His son. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie should be here. Fred’s heart aches, thinking of him, out there all alone, and missing all of these important moments at the start of his child’s life. Missing this time with Veronica. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hon, you okay?” He raps his knuckles softly on the bathroom door, hovering awkwardly outside. It’s slightly open, but Fred wants to respect her privacy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay.” She doesn’t sound okay, but Fred leaves her to clean up and do what she has to do. He heads back into the kitchen and waits for her to join him. And if he dumps a little bit of his emergency reserve Wild Turkey into his mug, well, Veronica doesn’t need to know that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks scared and embarrassed when she comes out of the bathroom, wringing her hands nervously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fred, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry--” She’s trying not to cry, but being in the house again, surrounded by all things Archie, the weight of her situation finally comes down on her full-force, and she starts crying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t expect a pair of warm, sturdy, arms to wrap around her. Fred smells like pipe tobacco and Tide detergent, slightly different than Archie does, but still familiar, still comforting, still soothing to her soul.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tells her it’s okay, there’s nothing to apologize for, that he’s here for her, </span>
  <em>
    <span>for them</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and that as long as he’s around, she’ll always be safe here. She just cries harder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred was always so free with his affection. He was always hugging Archie, ruffling his hair, clapping him on the back, telling him he loved him, that he was proud of him, and asking about his life. Veronica never got that. Hiram gave her gifts, pearls and ponies, and Tiffany boxes wrapped in silk ribbon. Occasionally he would give her a kiss on the cheek, but he never held her when she cried, never told her he loved her, and rarely expressed pride in her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Veronica pulls away, still sniffling and having sufficiently embarrassed herself, Fred hands her his handkerchief. It’s so stupidly polite and caring that Veronica gives a wet laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How far along are you?” He asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“About nine weeks,” she says, dabbing at her eyes carefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you told your parents?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My mom knows. And Betty, too. My father...doesn’t. Not yet,” Veronica takes a shaky breath, “I’m not really ready to tell him, and I honestly don’t think he’d care.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This makes Fred angry. How could a father not care? Archie is his greatest joy, the light of his life. He can’t imagine simply not giving itself about anything going on with him, especially not something like this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think that’s true, Hon,” Fred says, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, “he’s your dad, he’ll love you no matter what.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica scoffs, “He’s not like you, Fred,” she says quietly, “No one is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica sits on the pristine white couch in her parent's living room: legs crossed at the ankles, hands folded primly in her lap, back ramrod straight, head held high and eyes fixed on the wall as her father scolds her. Fred sits beside her, murder in his eyes and so magnificently out of place in here that Veronica is spitefully pleased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How did this happen, Veronica?" Hiram says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think we all know how it happened." For a split second, Veronica sees her mother smirk at Fred's retort. But as quickly as it appears, it's gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's no use laying blame. What's done is done. We have to figure out how we're going to handle this." Thank God for Fred, who seems to be the only rational, level-headed, decent person left in this God-forsaken murder town.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I'm not staying here," Veronica says, continuing to speak as Hiram objects,  "It's not up for discussion. I'm not raising my baby in this house of horrors." Veronica exchanges a glance with her mother, knowing she’ll understand. Lodge women always have to think on their feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And where do you plan on going, Mija?" Veronica stumbles. She should have asked Fred if it was okay for her to stay with him. The idea of raising her and Archie's baby anywhere near her father or being in any way supported by him turns her stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She'll stay with me. I've got plenty of room." Three heads turn to look at Fred, who's standing now too, hands in his pockets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hiram sneers. "Do you honestly think I would allow my daughter to move in with—"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hiram, may I speak with you privately for a moment?" Her mother speaks for the first time. Her parents exchange glances; her father's one of fury, her mother's one of insistence. They go into the study and close the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Typical, she thinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fred, I don't know what to say."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Veronica, you're a good kid and just about the best damn thing that ever happened to Archie. I know how much he loves you," Fred sighs, "and this baby, well, it's half Andrews, my grandchild, so I’ll do whatever I can to help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica tries to say something, but it gets caught in her throat. Archie is so lucky, she thinks for the billionth time, to have a dad like Fred.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won't have it!" Hiram slams a hand down on his mahogany desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think it's best if she goes with Fred now. If we forbid her, she's just going to do it anyway."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione knows that the safest place for Veronica </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> the baby is with Fred. Years have passed since high school, and everything has changed, but one thing that hasn't changed at all is Fred Andrews. She knows he'll take care of her daughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We'll just have to make sure she can't sneak out. I'll increase security if I have to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won't have her scheming up some convoluted plan to break out of here. Injuring herself and the baby in the process, God forbid. Lord knows she's done it once; she'll do it again." Hiram glares. He hates to be reminded of his failures. Particularly the Great Escape of Archie Andrews circa 2018. Remembering how his daughter and her teenage friends outsmarted him infuriates him like nothing else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There is something deeply set in his wife's gaze. He supposes it's easier, for now, to agree. The last thing he needs right now is his daughter drawing more attention to their family than is necessary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe this,” he says, and Hermione rolls her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you think she and Archie were doing, Hiram? Playing Scrabble? You remember how it was when we were their age.” She reminds him. He had always seen Veronica as an innocent little girl or a pawn in his games, never as a young woman with wants and desires of her own, never as an independent person able to make her own decisions about her life.  That was half of the reason they were in this mess, to begin with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’ll be safe with Fred, Hiram, so long as you leave her alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When her parents come back into the room, Fred reaches over and holds her hand. Her mother looks strangely triumphant, her father, muzzled and none too pleased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mija, your mother and I have talked, and we've decided that if this is your decision, we won't try to stop you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica is waiting for the catch. She had been expecting a fight. A showdown. A battle of wills. She's dying to know what her mother said to him to make him change his mind. She's never seen him bow out so quickly before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"While your father has his reservations, I trust Fred completely." The two share a look and Veronica wonders if there's still something there between the two of them. Her father notices, too, and Veronica's well and genuinely amused to see his face turn an unusual shade of red and that vein in his forehead pop out a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks at Fred, and he gives her a reassuring smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's odd to be standing in her bedroom, packing it up. She remembers the first night she ever spent here. It hardly felt like home then. Riverdale hardly felt like home then. But when she met Archie and Betty and Jughead, she became just as much a part of this town as they were.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks over at her mirror, where the locket Archie gave her hangs. She remembers that Christmas morning so vividly. How happy and surprised she'd been and how good it felt to finally let herself say, "I love you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hasn't worn it in a while. At first, it hurt too much. Whenever she looked at it, she thought of Archie. Then she refused to wear it for the same reasons: she thought of Archie, and it made her angry. But now, she just wants him close to her heart again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica fastens the clasp and straightens the heart so that it sits in the middle of her décolletage. She smiles sadly at her reflection. Her mother comes in and stands behind her, brushing her hair back and smoothing out the collar of her top.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you want some help with your things?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica nods and mother and daughter begin packing. It's the first time since that dreadful night at Lodge Lodge that her luggage has been out. She had no reason to use it before. Her mother packs her clothes while Veronica packs everything else. Her jewelry, her toiletries, her most prized possessions, she wraps them all as carefully as she can.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It goes a lot faster than she imagined it would. Within forty-five minutes, she's packed up her entire life. It makes her feel small and insignificant, that everything she is can be squared away in such a short amount of time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica takes one last look at her bed as she closes the door, remembering how many times she laid in it with Archie, wrapped around him like a vine, peppering berry shaded kisses all over his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That dull ache in her chest is back now, stronger than ever before and she's tired. She just wants to go home and rest. But the truth is, she doesn’t know where home is anymore.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And there's chapter two! I was so excited to write Veronica and Fred interacting in this fic, and I can't wait to explore that relationship more as we move forward. We get Archie's POV next chapter, something I'm looking forward to greatly. Hope you liked it! Let me know what you think in the comments: your feedback is important to me!</p><p>xoxo Katiekins</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. acquainting & reacquainting (november 2018, first trimester)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Veronica begins to acquaint herself with motherhood and reacquaint herself with the Andrews house, as Archie dwells on the what-if's of the past and the uncertainties of the future.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <em>"I am constantly surprised by the longing for you that never quiets." - Tyler Knott Gregson</em>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> “If you loved me, you would come home.”  </em>
</p><p>Archie jolts awake courtesy of the alarm clock blaring on the nightstand. For a split second, he forgets where he is and how he got here. But then he remembers Veronica’s sobs over the phone, and her voice cracking as she told him to come home. </p><p>He raises his hand and brings it down hard, slapping the offending mechanism silent so he can savor a few more moments of peace and quiet. He lays on his back and looks at the ceiling and briefly allows himself to indulge in the fantasy of being home again.</p><p>Last week was particularly hard. Thanksgiving used to be one of his favorite holidays, but this year, away from everything he’s ever known, it was miserable. The ache that lives in his chest now was particularly heavy that day. All through the morning chores and breakfast, through the football game and dinner, he yearned for home. </p><p>He tries not to think about Veronica and how much he misses her. Archie’s learned in the time he’s been away that if he dwells on his longing, it’ll consume him whole. </p><p>He rolls out of bed and gets ready for the day, going to the bathroom, combing his hair, brushing his teeth, throwing on some deodorant, and getting dressed. </p><p>Archie heads downstairs, carefully avoiding the creepy fourth stair from the top. The sound of the coffeemaker is the only disturbance in the otherwise silent house; a sure sign that his boss is already in the barn. </p><p>He fills a thermos from the cupboard and leaves it on the counter as he pulls on his coat and shoves his feet into his work boots. The late November wind bites at his nose and ears as he makes the walk across the yard to the barn, but once he’s inside, the heat from the livestock and the steadfast plank walls take some of the chill away. </p><p>“Morning, son.” </p><p>Charles Dietrich, or Chuck, as he firmly insisted Archie call him, is about his dad’s age and height, maybe a little stockier, with dark hair and a thick mustache. He’d met the older man while he was crossing into Greendale, the same day he’d said goodbye to Veronica over the phone. Chuck stopped and asked him where he was headed, and Archie, not having any idea, throat still thick with unshed tears, said, “Anywhere.”</p><p>Chuck was a sixth-generation farmer, his family having lived and worked on this land since the 1780s. But he and his wife, Lisa, never had any kids of their own and after recently suffering a heart attack, he had been ordered to take it slow. That meant a hired hand, but with the economy the way it was, they couldn’t afford much; just a pillow to lay his head on, a table to put his feet under, and the satisfaction of a hard day’s work.</p><p>Archie accepted the offer, and he’s been here ever since. They’re good people, Chuck and Lisa. Good, salt-of-the-earth people, like his dad. The work is hard but purposeful, and he feels contentment here he hasn’t felt in Riverdale since before Jason’s murder. Before Geraldine. Before Hiram. Before it all. </p><p>It’s about quarter after four and Chuck’s already started milking. It had taken Archie a bit to get used to the early hours, but now that he’s been here a few weeks, and his body’s fallen into a natural rhythm, he’s actually come to enjoy it. </p><p>“Morning, Chuck.” The older man ruffles his hair, dyed brown to protect his identity, and claps his shoulder as he walks by. Archie takes his time walking through the barn, greeting the Holsteins by name as he rubs their velvety soft noses. They really are pretty, with their big, black eyes and long eyelashes. Archie would have never thought to describe cows as beautiful before this, but there is a calming solace he finds in the barn amongst the animals that he’d never found before. </p><p>“Come on, kid; we’re burning daylight.” Archie smiles and sets right to work, hitching up the milking machine, as he steals glances out the big barn doors and watches the sunrise up over the trees. He wishes he could capture the moment with more than just his mind’s eye. He wishes Veronica were here to watch the sunrise with him. He wishes a lot of things. </p><p>It’s been weeks since he last talked to her, and he thought that it would get easier as time went on. He couldn’t have been more wrong.  Every day when he walks by the phone, he wants to pick it up and call her, tell her he’s okay, and that he’s sorry, and promise he’ll come home. But something stops him every time. He knows that, <em> technically </em>, he’s still a fugitive of the law, even if Betty and Jughead had done their level best to expose Warden Norton. He’s already put Chuck and Lisa in enough danger by staying here while being on the run; he’s close to Riverdale, and no doubt the police are still looking for him. But what he’s most worried about is bringing the wrath of Hiram Lodge down upon them. </p><p>“You okay there, bud?” </p><p>Archie had gone quiet for a few minutes and then let out a deep sigh without realizing, and Chuck had heard him. He didn’t really know how to answer honestly. He feared telling them the complete truth for obvious reasons, but the secrets weighed heavily on him. </p><p>“Yeah. I’m just thinking about home. Wishing I could go back.” </p><p>Chuck thinks for a moment, rubs his beard thoughtfully, “You can go back, son. Sometimes, we need to spend some time away to really appreciate it, but in the end, you can always go home,” he says, the lines around his eyes crinkling as he smiles.</p><p>“You got someone waiting for you?” </p><p>That gives Archie pause. Does he? He told Veronica that if he went away, he wanted her to move on. He couldn’t, <em> wouldn’t </em>, be upset with her if she did. But that doesn’t stop him from hoping and praying that she’s waiting for him. It’s selfish on his part and unfair to her and it makes him feel guilty. </p><p>But it’s the not knowing that kills him. </p><p>---</p><p>Fred loads the truck with her suitcases, telling Hermione that he’ll be back tomorrow for the rest of Veronica’s things. He holds his hand out for her to shake, but she hugs him instead. Fred looks startled, but not uncomfortable, and Veronica can see something between them again; in the way her mother’s eyes fall closed as she buries her head in Fred’s shirt, in the way Fred holds Hermione, so similar to the way Archie used to hold her: <em> like he could lose her at any moment; like maybe he already had. </em></p><p>It infuriated her at one point, that her mother had such an intimate past (and at one point present) with her boyfriend’s father. But after seeing Hiram for what he really was and witnessing the true nature of her parent’s relationship, it’s nice to see a man treat her mother with the respect she deserves. Veronica suspects that there’s a part of Fred that still loves Hermione if the look on his face as he pulls away is anything to go by. </p><p>Fred goes to start the truck, leaving mother and daughter alone on the front steps of the Pembrooke. </p><p>“Smithers is completely at your disposal; he’ll still drive you to and from school,” Hermione fingers her daughter’s pearls, straightening them against her collar, “and you know you can always call me if you need anything.” Her mother’s perfectly manicured fingers pet Veronica’s hair back, as she kisses her daughter’s forehead. </p><p>“You be good, Mija.” Veronica doesn’t remember the last time she saw her mother cry. It’s a rare occurrence in their house, as Lodge women didn’t let foolish emotion show. But now, after everything, and considering the circumstances, Veronica welcomes it. </p><p>Hermione hugs her daughter tightly one last time, blinking away a few tears as she watches Veronica walk down the steps and get into the truck. Fred closes the door and climbs in the driver’s seat. He gives her a smile, the same smile he gave her all those years ago in the hallway after class, or across the baseball diamond before a game, and Hermione feels a little better. </p><p>She takes a few deep breaths as the rain starts to come down. Wiping under her eyes with her fingertips, Hermione goes back inside. She’s silent in the elevator as it takes her to the penthouse, her lavish prison. Hiram is in the city and will be for the next few days. </p><p>Which gives her plenty of time to place the bugs that Agent Smith had given to her. One in his office taped to the back of his portrait, one in the living room behind the clock on the mantle, and one in the guest bedroom, where he’d been sleeping the past few months. </p><p>When she’s done, she pours herself a glass of wine and sits at her big, empty, perfectly put-together dining room table with Hiram’s business files laid out in front of her, and her glasses balanced on the end of her nose. </p><p>He isn’t the only Lodge who can scheme.</p><p>---</p><p>They stop at Pop’s before heading home, and while Fred orders dinner and talks to Pop Tate upstairs, Veronica runs down to the speakeasy to make sure everyone’s all set for the night. </p><p>Because Veronica’s still a minor and the business is legally Hermione’s until she turns eighteen, they hired a manager to supervise the speakeasy. Derek James came highly recommended from Elio; and vetted, background checked, and interviewed by Veronica and Hermione both, he was a solid, above-the-table, legitimate hire. </p><p>“Hey, V,” Reggie greets her as he comes out of the back room with a box full of straws. Derek isn’t far behind him with tablecloths and napkins. </p><p>“Hi, boys,” she says, bustling around, straightening tablecloths, fixing centerpieces, rearranging chairs, “everything all set for tonight?”</p><p>“Yep. Fangs and Sweet Pea went to do a pick up in Centerville; they should be back before we open tonight.” Reggie watches intently as Veronica comes behind the counter and starts putting things away. It’s the most awake he’s seen her in weeks. Reggie and Derek share a look over her petite, raven head. </p><p>“V,” Reggie says, taking the box from her, “go home, I’ve got this.” </p><p>“You’re sure?” She asks, searching his face. Despite their disagreement last year, Reggie has proven to be a loyal and trustworthy employee and friend. When he came to her this summer, practically begging for a job, Veronica had been suspicious. But he showed up on time for every shift, went above and beyond in his work, and was a nice bit of muscle to have around in case things got sticky. </p><p>It wasn’t until he started showing up with black eyes and split lips that Veronica began to understand his desperation to get out of his house and earn his own money. She had quietly extended an open invitation to him to stay in one of the guest bedrooms at the Pembrooke if things with his dad got bad and he needed somewhere to go. </p><p>So when Reggie nods and pats her head playfully, Veronica feels fine leaving him under Derek’s watchful eye. She blows him a kiss as she goes back upstairs, pleased to see him doing so well. </p><p>Fred is waiting for her with the food, and she didn’t realize how hungry she is until she smells it and her stomach almost falls out her ass. It makes her feel warm inside to see that he remembers her order: one double chocolate milkshake, a side of onion rings, and chicken fingers with honey mustard dressing. She had wrinkled her nose at first, but once Archie finally convinced her to try it, the combo quickly became one of her favorite things. </p><p>“It smells amazing, Pop,” she leans up on her tiptoes and pecks the older man’s cheek, quietly telling him to check in downstairs before he goes home tonight. </p><p>She feels very motherly suddenly, and it both shocks and soothes her. She's never been the maternal type and up until this point, didn't believe she had a motherly bone in her body. </p><p>The drive home is peaceful, and Veronica doesn't feel any tension or pressure between her and Fred at all. Being around him feels so natural; the way it should be between a father and daughter.</p><p>He insists on carrying all her things upstairs because she's taking it easy from now on. They eat and watch a movie in the living room and then Veronica announces she's going upstairs to get ready for bed.</p><p>She stands in the doorway of Archie's room and looks around. She hasn't been up here in ages. Everything looks the same; Fred hasn't touched anything. He kept it precisely the way Archie left it. Veronica walks over to his bed and sits down, laying her hands on the bedspread, palms down. She thinks about everything that's happened in this room; from the first night they spent together after Jughead's disastrous party to the night of his birthday this past July.</p><p>Every kiss, every touch, every tender embrace, echoes through her.</p><p>She lays down on her back, turns her head, and buries her face in his pillow. It still smells like him. Veronica clings to it, pressing the plaid cotton to her nose and inhaling. How many times has she laid her head here next to his, raven and red, side by side, like it was meant to be? How many nights has she spent curled up under these covers, burrowed into Archie's side, and wrapped up in his arms?</p><p>She sits up and gets off the bed, going to Archie's dresser and opening up the drawer where he keeps his t-shirts. She digs until she finds the one she's looking for: the one he was wearing the night they met; the one she forbid him from ever getting rid of: a heather grey V-neck. She takes off her shirt and throws it onto one of her suitcases and slips Archie's on. It's too big for her, but she doesn't care because it's so soft, and it smells like him. She can't even bring herself to put on a pair of pajama bottoms, just digs through another drawer, and finds a pair of his boxers before stripping out of her skirt and stockings. </p><p>Veronica sets them on top of one of her suitcases, to be dealt with tomorrow. </p><p>The hot water feels good on her face as she washes, her nighttime cleanser of lavender and eucalyptus washing away the day’s stress and helping her to relax. She pats her face dry with one of Archie’s towels, the dark blue set with the green stitching his mom got him for Christmas last year. It smells faintly like he does: Old Spice deodorant, Tide detergent, and clean soap. </p><p>Veronica brushes her teeth and moisturizes her face before running her brush through her dark hair and going pee. As she stands and flushes, she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She wonders about that glow expecting mothers are supposed to get and wonders if she has it. She turns her head this way and that, trying to catch every angle. Veronica doesn’t look any different, not yet at least, but she certainly feels different.</p><p>Or maybe she doesn’t. Perhaps it’s the knowledge that she’s pregnant that makes her feel differently. </p><p>She lifts Archie’s shirt and gazes at her stomach, still flat. She runs her fingers over it and although it’s much too early for the baby to be kicking (and she’s not even sure how big her baby is) Veronica has the unexplainable urge to be close to her little one. Thinking about a little girl with Archie’s red hair and fair skin or a little boy with her raven locks and dark eyes makes a teary smile stretch across her face. </p><p>Today has felt like a month, and despite the fact that Veronica is mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted, she can’t seem to fall asleep. She can’t get comfortable no matter what she does, and this leads to ten minutes of near-constant tossing and turning until she finally realizes why she can’t fall asleep.</p><p>The bed is too empty. Too cold. Too quiet. Veronica’s never been alone in this bed before. Well, save that first night, but Archie had only moved the few short feet away after she’d fallen asleep. She’s about to start crying again when she hears scratching at the door and the high-pitched whine of a dog. Vegas pushes the door open with his nose and walks into the room. Padding over to the bed and hopping up. </p><p>“No, no, Vegas. Down.” Veronica tries to do what Archie taught her, keep a firm tone and point at the floor, but the lab doesn’t listen. He just licks her face and walks around in a circle a few times before lying down and stretching out alongside her. </p><p>Veronica sighs, “Fine, you can stay,” and rolls over to face the wall. Soon though, she finds herself gravitating towards the heat he provides. The more she thinks about it, the more she realizes how hard this must all be for Vegas. He was only a puppy when the Andrews’s brought him home; Archie’s been a constant presence his entire life. Vegas doesn’t know a life without him. </p><p><em> Neither do you, </em> she reminds herself, <em> you might as well have been dead before Archie Andrews came crashing into your life.  </em></p><p>---</p><p>It’s just after dinner when Chuck gets up from the table and says he needs to go check on the animals one more time. </p><p>“It’s fine, Chuck, I’ve got it.” </p><p>Archie likes the quiet solitude of the barn after dark. The soft sounds of the livestock bedding down for the night, the quiet ruffling of the swallows, and the pigeons that roost in the rafters, the barely audible purr of the barn cats that live amongst the hay.</p><p>It’s a small sound. Archie really shouldn’t have been able to hear it at all, but he did. The tiniest little meow, almost a squeak it was so small, comes from one of the piles of hay in the corner. </p><p>When Archie turns his head, he sees the source of the sound; an orange and white kitten, no bigger than his hand is meowing up at him. One of the females had a litter recently, and considering how small this little guy is, Archie’s pretty sure he’s the runt of the litter. </p><p>“Come here, buddy,” he says, scooping the kitten up and tucking him into the inside pocket of his jacket. Archie can feel him squirming as he checks all the animals and the doors before heading back into the house.</p><p>Lisa smiles at him when he sheepishly pulls his new friend out of his pocket and gives him a medicine dropper full of milk before kissing Archie’s cheek and heading upstairs. </p><p>Once he’s in bed, the kitten curled up in one of the folds of the blanket near his chest, Archie rolls over on his side, looking out the window at the moon rising over the tops of the trees. The nights are always hard. During the day, he's so busy working he doesn't have time to think about anything else. It's a good distraction from his often too loud thoughts.</p><p>But at night, when the world's gone to sleep and everything's silent, Archie's left with nothing <em> but </em> those thoughts. They scream at him, a constant barrage of what-ifs and should-haves, and I wonders. </p><p>A small meow disrupts him, and Archie looks down to see his kitten, still unnamed, rubbing against his hand. </p><p>"Hey, buddy." Archie scoops him up, holding the tiny little furball in his palm. He scratches his head and under his chin and smiles as the kitten begins to purr loudly.</p><p>"You don't have a name yet, do ya?" The kitten slow blinks at him and meows again, and Archie smiles, "How about Pip Squeak?" </p><p>When no objections are expressed, Archie nods. </p><p>“Pip Squeak it is.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Finally, here's chapter three! The current canon mess fucked with my muse a lot, and I couldn't even look at this fic for a while. But I finally finished it this morning at about 1:20 AM, so sorry for any mistakes or typos therein. This chapter is significantly beefed up from the previous drafts in my efforts to explain and tie up some things that canon said "Lol, whatever," too. There's some angst here, but it's light in intensity, and I would really describe it more like longing. Have no fear though, as next chapter Varchie will be reunited! S3 and S4 gave me enough sadness between these two to last a lifetime and seeing as I originally started this fic during the Great Varchie Drought of S3, it's going to be light on the angst anyway. Any and all problems they face will be together, as a team, and these problems will be realistic and true to the fic material. </p><p>A big thank you to my one and only, Emily, without whom this fic would still be just a rambling drabble on tumblr. Thank you Em, I love you &lt;3 Another thank you goes to Alex, who's always talking with me about the possibilities of this universe and encouraging me to keep building it &lt;3 </p><p>Hope you liked it! Let me know what you think in the comments: your feedback is important to me! </p><p>xoxo Katiekins</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. at last (december 2018, first trimester)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Archie comes home, Veronica breaks the news, and the two of them have a necessary conversation. Fluff ensues.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <em>"The sweetness of reunion is the joy of heaven." - Richard Paul Evans</em>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>*eight days later*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first week of December brings the first snowfall, covering Riverdale and Greendale in a light blanket of white. Veronica spends her days at school, battling morning sickness and the constant urge to pee, while Archie splits his time between chores and writing music in a spiral-bound notebook. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finds Chuck and Lisa gazing at him worriedly, and he wonders if they’ve figured out who he is or not. The news reports have gone from escaped juvenile to missing teenager, and Archie thinks that’s a good sign, considering he’s no longer being called “armed and dangerous”. He’s let his facial hair grow out a bit, hoping it’ll help to hide his identity more. The dye job is still working, but as time goes on, his bright red roots become more and more visible, and he worries about how he’s going to dye it again without either of them noticing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He throws himself into his chores, glad for the physical distraction, but with Christmas looming in just a few short weeks, Archie’s longing to go home. He and Chuck venture out into the woods for a Christmas tree, and the outing gives him the strangest sense of deja vu; childhood memories of doing the same thing with his dad bouncing around his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He helps Lisa put it up before they decorate the house with what must be hundreds of multi-colored Christmas lights and the longing in his chest grows stronger still. By the time they’re done, the farmhouse looks like the front of a Christmas card, and the inside looks like the Walton’s Christmas special.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Archie gets out of the shower and comes downstairs for dinner, Chuck and Lisa are sitting at the dining room table, quietly waiting for him. Archie feels his stomach sinking like a lead balloon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, son,” Chuck says, pulling out the chair beside him, “come sit down, we should talk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie sits in between Chuck and Lisa in the truck as it idles, staring out the window at 1941 Elm Street, his house. It’s early still, the sun’s not quite up yet, but he knows his dad is. Fred Andrews is up at five o’clock every single morning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay, kid?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie sighs, running his hand nervously through his hair, “what if he’s angry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice is small, and he feels silly asking such a childish question, but one of his deepest fears has always been disappointing his father. And while he had his (legitimate) reasons for leaving, a tiny part of him regrets it because of the hurt it caused Fred and Veronica. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lisa rubs his shoulder soothingly, “He might be, but I think his happiness will outweigh any anger. He loves you, Archie. He’ll be glad you’re home.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all get out of the truck and walk to the front door together, Archie leading the way and Chuck and Lisa behind him, holding hands. Archie hesitates, his hand hovering over the doorknob before he turns it and pushes the door open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It creaks as he steps inside, setting his duffel bag and backpack down on the floor and moving further into the room. He freezes when he sees his dad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fred is standing at the island, reading the paper and pouring coffee into the “World’s Best Dad” mug Archie got him for Christmas when he was nine. When he hears the door open, he looks up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Archie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie doesn’t know how he feels when his dad hugs him for the first time in months. It’s something akin to relief and happiness mixed with guilt. He buries his face in the flannel, breathing in the familiar scent of tobacco and Tide and Old Spice. Fred holds his son to him tightly, one arm around his back and the other holding the back of his head, almost cradling him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie pulls away and wipes his nose on his sleeve with a sniffle. He doesn’t let himself lose physical contact with his dad, rather, he leaves on arm wrapped around him as he introduces Chuck and Lisa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad, this is Chuck and Lisa Dietrich. They took me in and I’ve been staying with them over in Greendale,” the adults shake hands and Fred invites them into the house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they talk, Archie tentatively wanders into the kitchen. There are eggs and bacon sizzling away in a pan on the stove, way more than is necessary for one person, while his dad has only made enough coffee for one cup. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he sees the box of Magnolia cupcakes sitting on the cutting board and hears the sound of someone coming down the stairs, his heart stutters in his chest and he turns around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Archie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Veronica.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That morning dawns bright and early, and Veronica blinks her eyes open sleepily. The first strands of consciousness and disorientation begin to weave themselves around her bones before she gets her bearings about her. She barely moved at all in her sleep last night. Strange, given the way she’s been so restless the past few months. It only takes her waking brain a moment or two to realize why.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vegas is sprawled out next to her on his side, snoring away and throwing off warmth like a space heater. Veronica smiles and ruffles his side with her hand buried in his fur. Vegas snorts and stretches out further, drifting awake, and coming to sit up beside her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sun is creeping through the window, shading the room in pale yellow and muted greys. It’s a little after six o’clock on a Saturday morning, a glance at the alarm clock tells her. It’s an adjustment to wake up in Archie’s room without Archie, and not one she’s crazy about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica sits up and stretches her arms above her head, fingers reaching towards the ceiling. She climbs out of bed, slides into her slippers, pulls on her robe, and pads downstairs where the smell of eggs and the sizzle of bacon greet her. Suddenly, she’s ravenous. It feels like she hasn’t eaten in days. Vegas follows her down, and when he reaches the bottom of the stairs, he sniffs the air and takes off towards the kitchen. Veronica thinks it’s the smell of the bacon that has him excited, but then she hears the murmur of voices.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart jumps into her throat, and she freezes on the landing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knows that voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Archie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Veronica.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie is standing in the middle of the kitchen and Veronica is standing at the foot of the stairs near the front door. They stare at each other, neither of them knows what to say, neither of them knows what to do. She isn’t sure who moves first, but suddenly her feet are carrying her across the floor towards him, and then she’s rising onto her tiptoes and burying her face in his neck and shoulder. She breathes him in, her fingers curling possessively over his frame, holding him to her tightly. Archie’s arms come around her, his head coming to rest beside hers, his body letting out a deep sigh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica allows herself to indulge in the moment before she remembers why this reunion is necessary in the first place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where have you been? Why didn’t you call me?” She pulls away and looks at him, “what the hell happened to your hair and when did you grow a beard?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a long story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie briefly introduces Veronica to Chuck and Lisa, the older woman shooting her husband a knowing look. Fred offers to take them to Pop’s for breakfast, despite the fact that there’s hot food on the stove. Veronica needs a distraction, anything to occupy her hands, which have begun to shake. From nerves or anger, she doesn’t quite know. They go upstairs and when Archie sees her things scattered around his room, he looks at her but doesn’t say anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where did you go?” She begins making the bed, happy to busy her hands to stop them from trembling. It also allows her to avoid eye contact because she’s afraid if she looks at him, she’ll start crying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kevin helped me dye my hair so I would be harder to recognize in case...in case your dad came looking for me,” Veronica closes her eyes, sudden guilt overwhelming her, “Chuck and Lisa took me in and I stayed on their farm.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In Greendale?” She says, and when Archie sighs, Veronica knows she’s right. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All this time you were a few miles away and you never thought to pick up the phone and call me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Veronica, I--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Archie!” She turns to face him angrily, “do you have any idea what it’s been like for me? Not knowing where you were or if you were okay or if you were even alive?” Archie flinches and tries to take her hand, but she jerks it away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to call you, Ronnie. I did. Every single day. But after that last call, I didn’t think you would ever want to hear from me again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be crazy, Archie, how could you ever think that?” She takes his hand in hers, “I’m so glad that you’re home and that you’re safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica takes a deep breath, “But all I ever wanted was for you to stay here with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When you left, I was angry, At my father for driving you away but mostly at you. For not fighting to stay by my side.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I did fight. Veronica, I fought every minute of every day, but I was tired. The more I fought back, the more he came at me,” Archie says, frustration written across his features, “and I had to deal with all of that alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell is that supposed to men?” She says, raising her voice and then suddenly they’re yelling at each other. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As much as your dad loves to play games with you, he’d never hurt. I don’t get that privilege,” he explains, “I left Riverdale because I couldn’t put you or my dad in danger. Did you know he put out a bounty on me and anyone who was helping?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica flinches. She didn’t know that and it makes her sick to think about it. Unfortunately, she’s neither shocked nor surprised to hear this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fight and the anger leave her body just as abruptly as they came upon her. She drops onto the partially made bed, her face buried in her hands. She wills herself not to cry but to no avail. The tears come unbidden, and she’s powerless to stop them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie panics, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I didn’t come back to yell at you,” and then pleadingly, “please don’t cry, Ronnie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you come back, Archie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blowing out of breath, he sits down next to her on the bed. Veronica hates how her heart speeds up when he gets close, hates he still has such a sway over her, even after everything he’s put her through the past few months.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I missed you. Because Chuck and Lisa talked some sense into me. Because every morning when I would get up to milk the cows I would watch the sunrise and I knew that I didn’t want to spend another sunrise without you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks so wistful, so much like that boy from last year, who saw his two best friends find their soulmate, and wanted that for himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t know why she asks it the way she does, blurting out, “Do you blame me?” her voice small. But she needs to know that answer, even though she’s terrified by what that might be. She knows she’ll never be able to be with him again if she doesn’t know how he truly feels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s by far the most vulnerable she’s ever been with another person, all of her fears and doubts laid bare with that one question. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At first, some part of me did. But the more I got to thinking about it, the more I realized that I was just as much to blame for what happened as anyone else,” Veronica tries to protest, but Archie stops her, “I know you blame me for leaving,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t look angry; not in the slightest, actually, he looks resigned. Like he’s accepted her anger and is prepared to live with it for the rest of his life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But that’s okay. I know I hurt you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica searches for the words she’s been keeping locked up since he left. The difficult ones, the feelings she’s spent weeks trying to hide and keep at bay. But she should have known she could never hide them from Archie. Especially not now, when he’s been so open with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were the first boy I ever loved. I put my heart in your hands and you broke it. I trusted you,” her voice breaks then, the tears coming once more, little pinpricks at the corners of her eyes, “and when you left that trust left, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie licks his lips nervously, “Everything I said to you on the phone is true. You’re it for me, Veronica. I love you, and I know it’s gonna be hard but I want us to be together again,” he takes her hand in his, “my life means nothing if I can’t share it with you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica holds his face in her hands, thumbs rubbing his cheeks. She’s so in love with him. Still. Probably even more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, too, Archiekins,” she takes a deep breath, “ but there’s something you need to know first.” Now or never, she says to herself. Rebuilding the trust they’ve lost starts right here, right now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He waits patiently, his eyes flitting around her face and taking in every tiny detail and committing it to memory. He never wants to go so long without seeing her face again. He can’t. He won’t. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m pregnant.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica closes her eyes, fearing the absolute worst. But Archie doesn’t react. The words hang in the air. Veronica waits for him to say something, anything at all really, but he doesn’t move. His face is blank for a moment, completely unreadable before he blinks once, slowly, and breaks into a blinding smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re pregnant?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica smiles in spite of herself, “Yes, I’m sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did the test correctly?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gives a teary laugh, “Yes, I did the test correctly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie gives her a look, the one that makes her feel like he’s staring into her soul. The one he gives her right before he kisses h--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s leaning in, so close now, closer than they’ve been in months, and her breath catches. Her eyes flutter closed as their lips brush against each other, and then he’s the one sighing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s the thrill of jumping into the swimming hole on the last day of summer and the long-awaited bite of one of Pop’s cheeseburgers after a long day. It’s the sweet taste of a chocolate milkshake and the adrenaline rush she gets while performing. It’s the satisfaction of being able to do this again after so long. It’s everything all at once. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the only thing that either of them can think is: finally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Chuck and Lisa leave, they pull Archie aside and place a shoebox in his hands. He can hear little meows from inside, and seeing Pip Squeak’s tiny little face as he takes the cover off makes him smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We thought Pip Squeak might make a nice addition to your little family,” Lisa says. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie’s throat grows thick, and he nods quickly, “Guys, I don’t--I don’t know how to thank you. For everything.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to thank us, Archie. Just make sure to come visit us,” Lisa says, giving him a tight hug, “And bring Veronica, too,” she glances at where the younger woman stands at the sink, washing the dishes and handing them to Fred so he can dry them, “she’s quite the girl.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Archie says, “she is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later on, he’s putting his clothes back in his dresser when Veronica pads softly back into the bedroom. He looks up at her standing in the doorway. The light above illuminates her body as she rubs lotion into her hands. She’s bare-faced, and her hair is loose around her shoulders, the dark locks falling freely around her face. She’s wearing nothing but one of his t-shirts and a pair of his boxer briefs with some fluffy socks and she’s still the sexiest thing she’s ever seen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” Her tone is teasing and she’s smiling as she walks over and climbs into bed. They’ve fallen back into each other wholeheartedly as if no time has passed at all. He expected it to be awkward, considering the last time they talked, but it’s not. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Archie stops folding for a moment and looks back at her, where she sits cross-legged on his bed, her head propped up on her hand which is sitting on her bended knee, grinning like a Cheshire Cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I could look at you forever and never get tired of it." It was easy to be like this with her. He knew it wouldn't all be this simple. They had a baby on the way, and her father still loomed over their town like a black shadow, and he hadn't yet told her about the nightmares. But right now, it seems as though they're drifting along on calm waters. He doesn't want to disturb it. Not yet. Not when he's spent so much time longing for these quiet moments with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walks over and plants his fists on the bed, using them to balance himself so he can lean in and kiss her. Archie can feel her smiling against his lips as she cups his face with her hands. This is what he missed the most — being able to kiss her whenever he wants to just because he can.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything is going along fine until Veronica lets out a jaw-cracking yawn. They stare at each other and then burst out laughing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like being here with you. It feels normal." Veronica pushes his hair out of his eyes. It's getting long now; he'll have to have it cut soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You were all I could think about you know. Every day I was away, the only thing that kept me going was you," his eyes bounce back and forth between her eyes and her lips, "I'm sorry for leaving." It feels good to say it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know. I'm sorry, too. For not understanding how you felt like you were fighting him alone."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't be. Honestly, Ronnie, I'd go back and do it all over again." She looks at him and raises an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, maybe not the Red Circle thing. Or the illegal gun thing. Or any of the stuff with your dad, but when it comes to you and me, the only regret I have is leaving. And if I knew back then what would happen, I'd still do it all over again because I know it would lead us here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica searches his face. For what she doesn't know but it must be the hormones that cause her to start crying again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ronnie? Sweetheart, please don't cry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shakes her head, "They're happy tears, Archie. Slightly hormonal happy tears," she grabs his face, "I love you so much."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love you, too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They settle in, and Archie throws his arm up so Veronica can bury into his side. She lays her head on his chest and listens to the steady thrum of his heartbeat. With the tips of her fingers, she draws swirls and curlicues on the skin of his chest. Archie buries his nose in her hair and inhales.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I missed this," he says quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I missed you, Archie. So much."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She's just drifting off when Archie says, "Victoria."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmmm?" Veronica tilts her head so she can look at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"For our daughter." Archie's got that dopey grin again, and Veronica can't resist teasing him a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Our daughter, huh?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, I've just been picturing a little girl with your eyes and--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your bright red hair." Archie laughs and pulls Veronica on top of him so he can run his hands over her hips and belly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"With her mother's sense of style."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And her father's musical talent."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lays a hand over her belly button, and Veronica lays her smaller one over his. They share a smile and then she's leaning down to kiss him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's so juvenile; making out in his bed like two horny teenagers. They are two horny teenagers, Archie realizes, but it feels weird to think of them like that after everything that's happened. But he's not about to complain as Veronica rocks back and forth in his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ronnie, I want you so bad right now, you have no idea how much, but I think we should wait."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica goes suddenly still and pulls away. The only thing she says is, "Oh." Archie can feel her distancing, so he pulls her back in by her waist until they're chest to chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just meant that I wanna make sure it's safe first. I don't want to hurt you. Or her." Veronica instantly warms back up and winds her arms around his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're really set on this whole daughter thing aren't you?" Archie blushes, "It's okay, Archiekins, I think it's cute."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She climbs off and settles down next to him, tucking herself back under his arm. Gradually, her breathing slows and evens out, and she falls asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She must be tired because she's snoring; tiny little sounds as she breathes. Archie shifts out from under her because he knows how sore she can get if they sleep on top of each other for too long. The new position allows him to prop himself up on his elbow and gaze down at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He'd always thought she was pretty. From the very first moment he saw her, Veronica had been devastating in all the right ways. She was classic; like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's: timelessly beautiful and possessing an unparalleled elegance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, as she lay beside him sound asleep under the covers of his bed, with her thick hair spread across his pillow and her chest rising and falling steadily, with the tips of her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings against the tops of her cheeks, he thinks she looks ethereal, other-worldly, angelic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The longer he looks, the more nouns and metaphors come to his mind. Phrases and words he can stitch together with some chords into a song. Which gives him an idea...he reaches over and pulls open the drawer on his nightstand and grabs a paper pad and a pen. Scribbling down his thoughts so he can come back to them later, he shoves the materials back into his drawer and closes it when Vegas pushes his door open with his nose, Pip Squeak not far behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, Vegas. Did you take good care of Ronnie while I was gone?" He lets Archie scratch his head before he's leaping onto the bed and plopping down right in between them. Archie manages to reach down onto the floor and scoop up Pip Squeak. He sets him on the bed and watches, amused, as he makes his way to the pillow and settles next to Archie's head, beginning to purr and knead at his hair. Vegas grunts and closes his eyes, laying his head on Veronica's belly and Archie has a feeling he's found his new favorite human.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Veronica's got her hands folded over her belly, and Vegas's head is laying on top of her hands. Pip Squeak is purring by his head, and Archie finally feels content with his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My girls." Archie kisses the tips of his fingers and presses them to Veronica's stomach before he bends down and kisses her on the forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's not perfect, but it's pretty damn close.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's been a while so here's 4k (exactly!) of Varchie reunion fluff. This chapter is dedicated to my Franniefluff aka @theeternalblue for her appreciation week &lt;3 Special thanks to my loves Emily and Alex for always encouraging me with this fic &lt;3 Hope you liked it! Let me know what you think in the comments; your feedback is important to me! </p><p>xoxo Katiekins</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. home is wherever you are (december 2018, first trimester)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Betty confides in Polly and Varchie spend a loving, lazy morning in bed.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <em>"I sustain myself with the love of family." - Maya Angelou</em>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Veronica wakes up the next morning to the soft, warm press of Archie’s lips against her face and neck. With her eyes still closed, she cups his face in her hands and draws his lips to hers, smiling into the kiss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good morning to you, too, Archiekins.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two years ago, Veronica would have rather died than kiss her boyfriend with morning breath. Things that seemed so important then are rather trivial now; and after everything that they’ve been through, kissing Archie before either one of them has brushed their teeth is a small thing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How are you feeling?” He asks, sliding a hand under the t-shirt she’s wearing and laying it across her belly. Her hands falls over his, their foreheads touching.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wonderful. Better than I have in months,” he smiles at her and twists a raven lock around his finger, “even with the morning sickness.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Archie kisses her again, the two of them smiling against each other’s lips as he says, “I want to wake up like this every day for the rest of our lives.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Veronica likes the sound of that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Across the street, Polly stands in the Cooper’s kitchen, Juniper and Dagwood in their high chairs, babbling at each other as she makes pancakes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Upstairs, Betty is awake, too. Tossing and turning, she rolls from her side to her back, to the other side, and then onto her back again. Jughead is laying next to her, sleeping like the dead, blissfully unaware of her inner turmoil.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lucky, lovable bastard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Betty finally gives up on trying to sleep and sits up in bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Betts?” As if his body knows even in slumber that she was getting up, Jughead raises his head from her pillow, eyes blinking slowly, hair a tangled, jet black mess.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She leans down and kisses his cheek, “Go back to sleep, Juggie.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Okay.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then he yawns, rolls over, and does just that. Betty smiles at him fondly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s cold when she crawls out from under the covers. Sleeping next to Jughead is like sleeping next to her own personal space heater, and so when the cool, December air hits her bare arms, she shivers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Grabbing her robe off the back of her bedroom door, she slides her feet into her slippers and turns the thermostat up on her way downstairs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Morning.” Polly is eating an apple as she flips through a textbook sitting on the counter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Betty is proud of her sister. The last year and a half haven’t been easy on her, but despite all of that, she’s persevered. Penelope had graciously offered to pay for her to take classes online, saying that it was what Jason would have wanted for her. And it was Polly’s hope to go into nursing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had always been good at taking care of people, and she was an excellent mother, despite her young age. Not finishing high school had slowed down her plans a bit, but getting her GED proved to be just the beginning of Polly’s boundless ambition.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey. You made pancakes,” Betty zeroes in on the full coffee pot, “and coffee, thank God.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Polly slides a plate across the island to her sister, and a hot mug follows soon after. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did,” the older Cooper daughter says, “you look like you could use a cup. Or four.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Betty sighs and drops her head onto her folded arms. Veronica’s news has kept her up all week. She’s worried about her best friend, and about Archie, who no one has heard from in weeks. While they’d exposed the corruption at Leopold and Loeb thanks to help from Sheriff Keller and a scathing expose a la Alice Cooper, and Archie had gone from escaped juvenile to missing teenager, he hadn’t been seen since he left the bunker.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s worried about how all of this is going to work out. Betty knows that Archie would rather die than hurt Veronica on purpose. And maybe that’s the problem. She doesn’t want to see Veronica raising their baby all alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not like Polly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Betty has been carrying this knowledge around in her chest for the past eight days. She’s the only one who knows besides the Lodges and Mr. A.  Although she’s pretty sure Cheryl and Toni have put two and two together, and the anxious gazes their friends have been sharing these days have intensified in the last week. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Betty,” Polly takes her sister’s hand in hers, “what’s wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m just...stressed, that’s all,” she says, stabbing some pancake with her fork.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Polly furrows her brows, “Is it Mom? Is she being too hard on you again? I told her she needs to back off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Betty smiles weakly. She’d forgotten how nice it is to have a big sister.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not mom, Polly,” she says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then what’s going on? What’s stressing you out?” Polly takes Betty’s hands and looks at her palms, where the half-crescent scars live.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I tell you, you can’t tell anyone. Not Mom. Not Dad. No one,” Betty holds out her pinky to her sister, “pinky promise. Just like when we were kids.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Polly links their fingers, pale pink nails next to light green, “I pinky promise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Betty takes a deep breath. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Veronica’s pregnant.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Polly blinks a few times, not having expected that at all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s going to keep the baby and she wants to tell Archie, but…” Betty can feel tears well in her eyes, “I’m so scared for her, Polly. She’s so young, and no one knows where Archie is, and if he’s okay, and I see everything that you went through and I don’t want to see that happen to Veronica. I can’t watch her do this alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Betty, look at me,” Polly hates seeing her little sister cry, “she’s not alone, okay? She has you and now she has me. We won’t let her do this by herself.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Polly walks around the other side of the island and the two Cooper sisters share a hug. And as Polly rubs her back soothingly, as she used to when they were kids, Betty feels as though the weight of a thousand worlds has been lifted off her shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So,” Archie says, glancing around his room, </span>
  <em>
    <span>their</span>
  </em>
  <span> room, at the introduction of her belongings into his home, “did your parents kick you out when you told them?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Veronica sighs, fiddling with a loose string on the duvet, “No. I told them I was leaving. That I refused to raise our baby in that house of horrors. Daddy was furious.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s probably more mad at me than he is you,” Archie says, “mad that I defiled his princess.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Veronica smiles into his bare shoulder, “I would hardly call it defiling, Archiekins. I was an equally enthusiastic participant.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The chuckle he replies with reverberates through his whole body and hers. Archie picks up her hand from the duvet and intertwines their fingers. He imagines a diamond there someday. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s so crazy to think we made a baby,” he says suddenly, “like, it’s gonna grow fingers and toes and lungs.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” She says, letting her hand rest on her belly, “have you thought about what we’re gonna tell people?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Archie thinks for a minute, “What’s to tell?” he says incredulously, “I’m home and I love you and we’re having a baby,” he shrugs, “anyone who has a problem with that can suck it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Veronica’s answering laugh is wet because she’s started to cry. Archie starts to panic, immediately rolling onto his side and nearly covering her body with his. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ronnie? Are you okay? Was it something I said? I’m sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not sad, you lovable oaf,” Archie opens his mouth in mock indignation, “I’m happy. I missed you so much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Archie smiles and traces his thumb along her jaw, down her neck, across her collarbone below the frayed edge of his shirt. Veronica sighs, eyes falling closed, reveling in the pleasure of his touch again after so long.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Missed you,” he kisses her lips, “missed this,” and then her neck, “missed us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Isn’t it funny how we both came home within a week of each other?” She says, running her fingers along his spine.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Home?” He says, smiling into her hair, right against her ear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“People always find their way home. This is your home, Archie, and my home is wherever you are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Archie tilts Veronica’s face up to his, uses his thumb to trace the angles of her face, reacquainting himself with her features after so many long nights imagining them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you a lot, you know that, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” she kisses the edge of his chin,  “I love you, too,” Veronica says softly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re going to be okay, Ronnie. I’m gonna take care of us,” one of his hands comes over hers where it rests on her belly, their fingers intertwining, “all of us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Veronica knows that he will.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi all! It took awhile but here's chapter five! It's pretty short but super fluffy. We get some Polly &amp; Betty bonding and some Varchie fluff. All good things. Thank you for the continued support of this fic; it means the world to me. </p>
<p>Let me know what you think in the comments: your feedback is important to me!</p>
<p>xoxo Katiekins</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Originally published twice, first on 12-28-2018, and secondly on 8-05-2019, via my old account, TheVoicelessRomantic, this was my very first published multi-chap fic. It's my baby (pun absolutely intended) and I'm so proud of how it's continued to evolve and grow. You can find me on tumblr @monicasposh.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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